An apparatus comprising a nanomembrane, and associated methods

Abstract

An apparatus comprising a channel member( 401 ), first and second electrodes ( 403, 404 ) configured to enable a flow of electrical current from the first electrode through the channel member to the second electrode, and a supporting substrate ( 402 ) configured to support the channel member and the first and second electrodes, wherein the channel member is separated from the supporting substrate by a nanomembrane ( 411 ) configured to facilitate the flow of electrical current through the channel member by inhibiting interactions between the channel member and supporting substrate. Possibly, a conductive shield layer ( 412 ) is present between the substrate and the nanomembrane, which may be a nanomembrane as well. The apparatus may also include a gate electrode ( 406 ) and a gate dielectric ( 407 ), the latter possibly being a nanomembrane as well. The apparatus may be configured to sense analyte species ( 513 ) as shown in FIG. 5

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus comprising a channel member, first and second electrodes configured to enable a flow of electrical current from the first electrode through the channel member to the second electrode, and a supporting substrate configured to support the channel member and the first and second electrodes, wherein the channel member is separated from the supporting substrate by a nanomembrane configured to facilitate the flow of electrical current through the channel member by inhibiting interactions between the channel member and supporting substrate. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the nanomembrane has a predefined thickness to provide a spacing between the channel member and supporting substrate which is sufficient to reduce electromagnetic interactions therebetween to facilitate the flow of electrical current through the channel member. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the nanomembrane is one or more of sufficiently thick and deformable to reduce undulation, and an associated reduction in charge carrier mobility, at the channel member caused by roughness at the surface of the supporting substrate to facilitate the flow of electrical current through the channel member. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the nanomembrane comprises a dielectric material configured to inhibit leakage of the electrical current from the channel member to the supporting substrate to facilitate the flow of electrical current through the channel member. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the nanomembrane comprises a conductive material configured to shield the channel member from electric fields generated by charged species on the supporting substrate to facilitate the flow of electrical current through the channel member. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the nanomembrane comprises a conductive material configured to shield the channel member from electromagnetic fields generated by electrical signals travelling through electrical interconnections on the supporting substrate to facilitate the flow of electrical current through the channel member. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the nanomembrane comprises one or more dopants configured to cause a variation in the electrical current through the channel member. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the apparatus comprises a layer of conductive material between the nanomembrane and supporting substrate, and wherein the nanomembrane comprises a dielectric material configured to act as a dielectric spacer between the channel member and layer of conductive material such that a voltage applied to the layer of conductive material can be used to vary the electrical current through the channel member. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the apparatus comprises a third electrode separated from the channel member by a further nanomembrane, the further nanomembrane comprising a dielectric material configured to act as a dielectric spacer between the third electrode and channel member such that a voltage applied to the third electrode can be used to vary the electrical current through the channel member. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the apparatus comprises a further nanomembrane on the side of the channel member opposite the supporting substrate, the further nanomembrane comprising a receptor species configured to bind specifically to a charged species from the surrounding environment, binding of the receptor species to the charged species positioning the charged species in sufficient proximity to the channel member to cause a variation in the electrical current therethrough. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the apparatus comprises a further nanomembrane on the side of the channel member opposite the supporting substrate, the further nanomembrane comprising one or more pores configured to allow a specific analyte species from the surrounding environment to pass therethrough to interact with the channel member, interaction of the analyte species with the channel member causing a variation in the electrical current through the channel member. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the apparatus comprises a further nanomembrane on the side of the channel member opposite the supporting substrate, the further nanomembrane configured to protect the channel member and electrodes from the surrounding environment. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the nanomembrane, further nanomembrane, channel member, electrodes, layer of conductive material and supporting substrate are configured to be one or more of reversibly deformable, reversibly flexible, reversibly stretchable and reversibly compressible. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the nanomembrane comprises a carbon nanomembrane, and the channel member comprises graphene. 
     
     
         30 . A method of making an apparatus, the method comprising:
 forming a nanomembrane on top of a supporting substrate;   forming a channel member on top of the nanomembrane; and   forming first and second electrodes configured to enable a flow of electrical current from the first electrode through the channel member to the second electrode, wherein the nanomembrane is configured to facilitate the flow of electrical current through the channel member by inhibiting interactions between the channel member and supporting substrate.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the nanomembrane comprises a carbon nanomembrane, and the channel member comprises graphene. 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein the nanomembrane has a predefined thickness to provide a spacing between the channel member and supporting substrate which is sufficient to reduce electromagnetic interactions therebetween to facilitate the flow of electrical current through the channel member. 
     
     
         33 . An apparatus comprising a channel member, first and second electrodes configured to enable a flow of electrical current from the first electrode through the channel member to the second electrode, and a supporting substrate configured to support the channel member and the first and second electrodes, wherein the channel member is separated from the supporting substrate by a nanomembrane, and wherein the apparatus further comprises a layer of conductive material between the nanomembrane and supporting substrate, the nanomembrane comprising a dielectric material configured to act as a dielectric spacer between the channel member and layer of conductive material such that a voltage applied to the layer of conductive material can be used to vary the electrical current through the channel member. 
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 33 , wherein the nanomembrane comprises a carbon nanomembrane, and the channel member comprises graphene. 
     
     
         35 . The apparatus of  claim 33 , wherein the nanomembrane has a predefined thickness to provide a spacing between the channel member and supporting substrate which is sufficient to reduce electromagnetic interactions therebetween to facilitate the flow of electrical current through the channel member.